Post on 23-Sep-2020
Topic 3
Static Methods and
Structured Programming
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“Computers that have been
supplied with a catalog of
subroutines ... will allow the
programmer to spend more time
solving higher order problems.”
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, Ph.D.
“The Education of a Computer”, Proceedings of the ACM, 1952
(Paraphrased by Carmen Lois Mitchell in “The Contributions of Grace
Murray Hopper to Computer Science and Computer Education,” 1994.)
Based on slides by Marty Stepp and Stuart Reges
from http://www.buildingjavaprograms.com/
Question
What is the name of the method that is
called when a Java program starts?
A. main
B. static
C. void
D. println
E. class
2
Comments
comment: A note written in source code by the
programmer to describe or clarify the code.
– Comments are not executed when your program runs.
Syntax:// comment text, on one line
or,/* comment text; may span multiple lines */
Examples:// This is a one-line comment.
/* This is a very long
multi-line comment. */3
Using comments
Where to place comments:
– at the top of each file (a "comment header")
– at the start of every method (seen later)
– to explain complex pieces of code
Comments are useful for:
– Understanding larger, more complex programs.
– Multiple programmers working together, who
must understand each other's code. 4
Comments example/* Suzy Student, CS 101, Fall 2019
This program prints lyrics about ... something. */
public class BaWitDaBa {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// first verse
System.out.println("Bawitdaba");
System.out.println("da bang a dang diggy diggy");
System.out.println();
// second verse
System.out.println("diggy said the boogy");
System.out.println("said up jump the boogy");
}
}
5
Program Hygiene - a.ka. Style
Provide a structure to the program
Eliminate redundant code
Use spaces judiciously and consistently
Indent properly
Follow the naming conventions
Use comments to describe code behavior
Follow a brace style
Good software follows a style guide
– See links on assignment page6
Google C++ Style Guide
7http://code.google.com/p/google-styleguide/
Google C++ Style Guide
8
Why Worry About Program Hygiene ?
Programmers build on top of other’s code all the time.
– Computer Scientists and Software developers spend as
much time maintaining code as they do creating new code
– You shouldn’t waste time deciphering what a method does.
You should spend time on thinking and coding. You
should NOT be wasting time looking for that missing
closing brace.
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Algorithms
algorithm: A list of steps for solving a problem.
Example algorithm: "Bake sugar cookies"
– Mix the dry ingredients.
– Cream the butter and sugar.
– Beat in the eggs.
– Stir in the dry ingredients.
– Set the oven temperature.
– Set the timer.
– Place the cookies into the oven.
– Allow the cookies to bake.
– Mix ingredients for frosting.
– ... 10
Problems with algorithms
lack of structure: Many small steps; tough to
remember.
redundancy: Consider making a double
batch...– Mix the dry ingredients.
– Cream the butter and sugar.
– Beat in the eggs.
– Stir in the dry ingredients.
– Set the oven temperature.
– Set the timer.
– Place the first batch of cookies into the oven.
– Allow the cookies to bake.
– Set the oven temperature.
– Set the timer.
– Place the second batch of cookies into the oven.
– Allow the cookies to bake.
– Mix ingredients for frosting.
– ...
11
Structured algorithms
structured algorithm: Split solution into coherent tasks.1 Make the cookie batter.
– Mix the dry ingredients.
– Cream the butter and sugar.
– Beat in the eggs.
– Stir in the dry ingredients.
2 Bake the cookies.
– Set the oven temperature.
– Set the timer.
– Place the cookies into the oven.
– Allow the cookies to bake.
3 Add frosting and sprinkles.
– Mix the ingredients for the frosting.
– Spread frosting and sprinkles onto the cookies.
– ...12
Removing redundancyA well-structured algorithm can describe
repeated tasks with less redundancy.
1 Make the cookie batter.
– Mix the dry ingredients.
– ...
2a Bake the cookies (first batch).
– Set the oven temperature.
– Set the timer.
– ...
2b Bake the cookies (second batch).
3 Decorate the cookies.
– ... 13
A program with redundancy// This program displays a delicious recipe for baking cookies.
public class BakeCookies {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Mix the dry ingredients.");
System.out.println("Cream the butter and sugar.");
System.out.println("Beat in the eggs.");
System.out.println("Stir in the dry ingredients.");
System.out.println("Set the oven temperature.");
System.out.println("Set the timer.");
System.out.println("Place a batch of cookies into the oven.");
System.out.println("Allow the cookies to bake.");
System.out.println("Set the oven temperature.");
System.out.println("Set the timer.");
System.out.println("Place a batch of cookies into the oven.");
System.out.println("Allow the cookies to bake.");
System.out.println("Mix ingredients for frosting.");
System.out.println("Spread frosting and sprinkles.");
}
}
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Static methods
static method: A named group of statements.
– denotes the structure of a program
– eliminates redundancy by code reuse
procedural decomposition:
dividing a problem into methods
– a way to manage complexity
Writing a static method is like
adding a new command to Java.
class
method A
statement
statement
statement
method B
statement
statement
method C
statement
statement
statement15
http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/why-software-fails 16
• Building complex systems is hard
• Some of the most complex systems are
software systems
Using static methods1. Design the algorithm.
– Look at the structure, and which commands are repeated.
– Decide what are the important overall tasks.
– Good programmers do this BEFORE writing any code
2. Declare (write down) the methods.
– Arrange statements into groups and give each group a name.
3. Call (run) the methods.
– The program's main method executes the other methods to
perform the overall task.
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Design of an algorithm// This program displays a delicious recipe for baking cookies.public class BakeCookies2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Step 1: Make the cake batter.System.out.println("Mix the dry ingredients.");
System.out.println("Cream the butter and sugar.");
System.out.println("Beat in the eggs.");
System.out.println("Stir in the dry ingredients.");
// Step 2a: Bake cookies (first batch).System.out.println("Set the oven temperature.");
System.out.println("Set the timer.");
System.out.println("Place a batch of cookies into the oven.");
System.out.println("Allow the cookies to bake.");
// Step 2b: Bake cookies (second batch).System.out.println("Set the oven temperature.");System.out.println("Set the timer.");System.out.println("Place a batch of cookies into the oven.");System.out.println("Allow the cookies to bake.");
// Step 3: Decorate the cookies.System.out.println("Mix ingredients for frosting.");
System.out.println("Spread frosting and sprinkles.");
}
} 18
Gives your method a name so it can be executed
Syntax:
public static void <name>() {<statement>;<statement>;...<statement>;
}
Example:public static void printWarning() {
System.out.println("This product causes cancer");
System.out.println("in lab rats and humans.");
}
Declaring a method
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Calling a methodExecutes the method's code
Syntax:
<name>();
– You can call the same method many times if you like.
Example:
printWarning();
– Output:
This product causes cancer
in lab rats and humans.
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Program with static methodpublic class FreshPrince {
public static void main(String[] args) {
rap(); // Calling (running) the rap method
System.out.println();
rap(); // Calling the rap method again
}
// This method prints the lyrics to my favorite song.
public static void rap() {
System.out.println("Now this is the story all about how");
System.out.println("My life got flipped turned upside-down");
}
}
Output:
Now this is the story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside-down
Now this is the story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside-down 21
Final cookie program// This program displays a delicious recipe for baking cookies.public class BakeCookies3 {
public static void main(String[] args) {makeBatter();bake(); // 1st batchbake(); // 2nd batchdecorate();
}
// Step 1: Make the cake batter.public static void makeBatter() {
System.out.println("Mix the dry ingredients.");System.out.println("Cream the butter and sugar.");System.out.println("Beat in the eggs.");System.out.println("Stir in the dry ingredients.");
}
// Step 2: Bake a batch of cookies.public static void bake() {
System.out.println("Set the oven temperature.");System.out.println("Set the timer.");System.out.println("Place a batch of cookies into the oven.");System.out.println("Allow the cookies to bake.");
}
// Step 3: Decorate the cookies.public static void decorate() {
System.out.println("Mix ingredients for frosting.");System.out.println("Spread frosting and sprinkles.");
}} 22
Makes code easier to read by capturing the structure of the program– main should be a good summary of the program
public static void main(String[] args) {
}
Note: Longer code doesn’t
necessarily mean worse code!!!
Summary: Why methods?
public static void main(String[] args) {
}
public static ... (...) {
}
public static ... (...) {
} 23
Eliminate redundancy
public static void main(String[] args) {
}
Summary: Why methods?
public static void main(String[] args) {
}
public static ... (...) {
}
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Methods calling methodspublic class MethodsExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
message1();
message2();System.out.println("Done with main.");
}
public static void message1() {
System.out.println("This is message1.");
}
public static void message2() {
System.out.println("This is message2.");
message1();System.out.println("Done with message2.");
}
}
Output:This is message1.
This is message2.
This is message1.
Done with message2.
Done with main.25
When a method is called, the program's
execution...– "jumps" into that method, executing its statements, then
– "jumps" back to the point where the method was called.
public class MethodsExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
message1();
message2();
System.out.println("Done with main.");
}
...
}
public static void message1() {
System.out.println("This is message1.");
}
public static void message2() {
System.out.println("This is message2.");
message1();
System.out.println("Done with message2.");
}
public static void message1() {
System.out.println("This is message1.");
}
Control flow
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How many lines of output with visible
characaters does the following program
produce?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 8 D. 12 E. 20
Drawing complex figures with
static methods
reading: 1.5
(Ch. 1 Case Study: DrawFigures)
Static methods question
Write a program to print these figures.______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
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Development strategy
______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
First version (unstructured):
Create an empty program and main method.
Copy the expected output into it, surrounding each line with System.out.println syntax.
Run it to verify the output.
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Program version 1public class Figures1 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(" ______");
System.out.println(" / \\");
System.out.println("/ \\");
System.out.println("\\ /");
System.out.println(" \\______/");
System.out.println();
System.out.println("\\ /");
System.out.println(" \\______/");
System.out.println("+--------+");
System.out.println();
System.out.println(" ______");
System.out.println(" / \\");
System.out.println("/ \\");
System.out.println("| STOP |");
System.out.println("\\ /");
System.out.println(" \\______/");
System.out.println();
System.out.println(" ______");
System.out.println(" / \\");
System.out.println("/ \\");
System.out.println("+--------+");
}
} 31
Development strategy 2
______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
Second version (structured, with redundancy):
Identify the structure of the output.
Divide the main method into static methods
based on this structure.
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Output structure
______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
The structure of the output:
initial "egg" figure
second "teacup" figure
third "stop sign" figure
fourth "hat" figure
This structure can be represented by methods:
egg
teaCup
stopSign
hat
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Program version 2public class Figures2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {egg();teaCup();stopSign();hat();
}
public static void egg() {System.out.println(" ______");System.out.println(" / \\");System.out.println("/ \\");System.out.println("\\ /");System.out.println(" \\______/");System.out.println();
}
public static void teaCup() {System.out.println("\\ /");System.out.println(" \\______/");System.out.println("+--------+");System.out.println();
}...
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Program version 2, cont'd....
public static void stopSign() {System.out.println(" ______");System.out.println(" / \\");System.out.println("/ \\");System.out.println("| STOP |");System.out.println("\\ /");System.out.println(" \\______/");System.out.println();
}
public static void hat() {System.out.println(" ______");System.out.println(" / \\");System.out.println("/ \\");System.out.println("+--------+");
}}
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Development strategy 3
______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
Third version (structured, without redundancy):
Identify redundancy in the output, and create methods to eliminate as much as possible.
Add comments to the program.
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Output redundancy
The redundancy in the output:
egg top: reused on stop sign, hat
egg bottom: reused on teacup, stop sign
divider line: used on teacup, hat
This redundancy can be fixed by methods:
eggTop
eggBottom
line
______
/ \
/ \
\ /
\______/
\ /
\______/
+--------+
______
/ \
/ \
| STOP |
\ /
\______/
______
/ \
/ \
+--------+
37
Program version 3// Suzy Student, CSE 138, Spring 2094// Prints several figures, with methods for structure and redundancy.public class Figures3 {
public static void main(String[] args) {egg();teaCup();stopSign();hat();
}
// Draws the top half of an an egg figure.public static void eggTop() {
System.out.println(" ______");System.out.println(" / \\");System.out.println("/ \\");
}
// Draws the bottom half of an egg figure.public static void eggBottom() {
System.out.println("\\ /");System.out.println(" \\______/");
}
// Draws a complete egg figure.public static void egg() {
eggTop();eggBottom();System.out.println();
}
... 38
Program version 3, cont'd....
// Draws a teacup figure.public static void teaCup() {
eggBottom();line();System.out.println();
}
// Draws a stop sign figure.public static void stopSign() {
eggTop();System.out.println("| STOP |");eggBottom();System.out.println();
}
// Draws a figure that looks sort of like a hat.public static void hat() {
eggTop();line();
}
// Draws a line of dashes.public static void line() {
System.out.println("+--------+");}
}
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